Cylinder safety attachment.



No. 686,058. Patented Nov. 5, |90l. L. F. HAMME.

CYLINDER SAFETY ATTACHMENT.

(Application Bled May 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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75 @fi/mfa- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE F. HAMME, OF OXFORD, NORTH CAROLINA.

CYLINDER SAFETY ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,058, dated November 5`, 1901.

Application led May 6, 1899. Serial No. 715,873. (No model@ To all whom it may concorre:

Be it known that I, LEE F. HAMME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oxford, in the county of Granville and State of North Carolina, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Cylinder Safety Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l

The object ot' this invention is in a simple, efficient, and thoroughly practical manner to obviat-e danger of injury to a cylinder of a steam-engine arising from accumulation of water or of condensed steam therein.

With this object in View the invention consists in establishing communication between the cylinder and the boiler and in employing suitable check-valves, which when thepressure in the cylinder is normal will remain seated, thereby to prevent admission of steam from the boiler to the cylinder; but upon abnormal or dangerous pressure within the cyl inder,as that resulting from the accumulation of a slug of water between the piston and the cylinder-head, these valves will lift and allow the condensed steam or water to pass to the boiler.

The device is automatic in its operation and when once set requires no attention.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated a form of embodiment of my invention, it being understood that other forms of embodiment thereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of the same, and in which the figure is a view in perspective displaying the cylinder-relief attachment positioned upon an engine and connecting with the boiler.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the cylinder of an engine, and B the boiler. As these parts may be of any type in use, a detailed description of them is unnecessary.

The cylinder-relief attachment C consists of a length of pipe c, having its two ends connected by suitable unions with the two ends of the cylinder. In this instance the connection between the pipe and the cylinder is shown where the ordinary pet or blow-0E cock is located, and in most instances this will be the point where the connection will be made; but it is to be understood that the said pipe may enter the cylinder from the side near the end and be made to perform the function for which it is designed. At a point adjacent to each end of the cylinder and carried by the pipe is arranged a check-valve c2, which may be of any preferred construction and is held seated by the steam from the boiler, so that escape of steam from the boiler to the cylinder will be obviated. These check-valves under ordinary or normal pressure in the cylinder will remain seated; but upon an abnormal pressure occurring in the cylinder, as from the accumulation of a slug of water, (which if not disposed of might cause the cylinder-head-to be blown off,) these valves will lift or leave their seats, and thus allow the accumulation of water or of condensed steam to pass back to the boiler. The pipe c is connected in any suitable manner with the boiler by a pipe c3, shown in this instance as entering the steam-dome of the boiler; but it is to be understood that it may enter the boiler at any point either above or below the waterline, as may be preferred.

The arrangement of the device is such that it may be attached to an ordinary engine without in the least changing its construction, it being only necessary to remove the petcocli at each end of the cylinder and apply the attachment thereto.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A cylinder-relief device comprising a pipe tapped or secured into an opening at or near eac-h end of the cylinder, the ends of said pipe being fitted in union joints of sufficient length to permit of the ends, after being adjusted, to be tapped or secured into the cylinder, a check-valve carried by each branch of the pipe outside of the cylinder, and a connection between the pipe and the boiler, the check-valve being normally held seated by the back steam-pressure of the boiler, but adapted to be lifted to allow the back passage of condensed steam or water from the cylinder to the boiler when an abnormal pressure arises in the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. LEE F. IIAMME.

Witnesses:

A. W. PLACE, J. C. DAVIS.

IOO 

